Four Wheel Drive Maintenance and Repair

Almost all 4×4 cars are rugged and built to take a beating, especially the trucks. Even though they withstand a lot more strain than most vehicles they can only go so far without the proper maintenance and repair schedule. The Car Salon, Calgary provides one of the most comprehensive four-wheel-drive maintenance and repair processes. And yes, before you ask, there is a vast amount of difference in maintaining four-wheel drives as the differential systems they run on is different from regular 2 wheel drives and even all-wheel drives. Although 4 wheel drives and all-wheel drives are sometimes used interchangeably they are quite different from each other. Let’s look at how to take care of your four by four.

Taking Care Of Your Four Wheel Drive

All Four Wheel and All Wheel Drives have a transfer case which transfers power to the front or rear axle depending on the requirement. In Four Wheel drives this transfer case shift power to either the front or rear of axel while in an all-wheel-drive power can be transferred to any of the 4 tires basis your requirement. You can only imagine the kind of stress it must be under constantly. This transfer case requires a large amount of lubricating, just like your engine failing which you are only calling for serious trouble. Our experts at The Car Salon ensure that you’re never left without the required fluids. Ensure that you get yours check every 2 years or 35,000Kms, whichever comes first.

You should also pay attention to the differential systems in your four-wheel drives. It what provides you with the ability to shift to the 4×4 mode when you need. In most cases, you are driving along as a regular 2 wheel drive with most of the power being drawn from the front or rear tires depending on your vehicle and model. However, it’s deferential that helps shift power to all 4 tires when you need it. Since most 4×4 cars are so unique they have their own maintenance schedules. Referring to the user manual provided with the vehicle and having regular visits to your local auto experts – The Car Salon will prevent you from having to spend more in repairs to other parts of the car.

4-Wheel Drive Inspection

All you have to do is ensure that your 4-wheel drive system inspection happens on a regular basis. If you’re having trouble with your drive system then the professionals at The Car Salon in Calgary can definitely help you get in sorted out in a jiffy. We also perform a wide array of 4-wheel drive inspections so that you can be stress-free before setting out on a long drive.

Conclusion

Looking after your 4-wheel drive in no laughing matter. Its mean business, which is why we mean business when we look at all the possible issues that could affect your vehicle. Our 4×4 vehicle inspections like everything we do at The Car Salon is very thorough. While being thorough we don’t take longer than necessary on any job so you’re back with your vehicle sooner rather than later. If you want to get your four-wheel car looked at by an expert book an appointment with The Car Salon today. We offer the best and most competitively priced services in Calgary and you’ll see why we take such pride in our work.

5 Signs You May Need Brake Repair Services

Do I Need To Get My Brakes Checked? If you’ve ever asked yourself that question after a close call chance are you probably do. When it’s all smooth sailing you could be forgiven for not remembering that your vehicle is a precision automobile and at the end of the day will only continue to remain so if you take proper care of all its parts including the brakes. If you have been experiencing any of these problems while driving and especially when you are driving the car, it is time to get your brakes checked immediately.

When Should I Get My Brakes Checked?

1. Squeaky Sounds

The only thing that should be squealing is the rubber on the roads as you hit the pedal to the metal. If you are hearing squeaky sounds from the brakes it is definitely time to get them checked. It could be a warning sign that the brake pad and the rotor are rubbing against each other which isn’t at all the ideal scenario. While this may seem like a common symptom, you should get it to check immediately to avoid further complicated damage.

2. Vibration on braking

Do you feel like you are being rattled to your bones every time you brake? This could be because you are dealing with warped rotors. Warped rotors seriously slow down the reaction time of the braking system and you could take a whole 5 seconds more to come to a standstill than under ideal conditions. During an emergency, 5 seconds could feel like an absolute lifetime. You need to visit brake repair professionals in Calgary immediately if this is happening to you.

3. Fluid Leaks

Anytime you have fluids leaking from your car you know its bad news. Couple that with a much softer braking pedal and you know where the problem is exactly. If you are leaking brake fluid it means the hydraulic pressure that’s being applied to the discs or pads is significantly lowered reducing the slowing power of your brakes. Not an ideal situation you want to find yourself in while going 100 kmph on the highway.

4. Veering Left Or Right

Another sign that you need brake repair services in Calgary is that when you brake your car automatically tends to veer either to the left or right. This could be caused due to one of your calipers in the braking systems freezing up. Or it could be because one brake caliper is applying more force than the other causing uneven braking and veering. If you are having trouble with veering, have that looked into by The Car Salon in Calgary immediately.

5. Burning Smell While Driving

Long drives or driving in harsh conditions can put quite a toll on the vehicle and especially on your engine & brakes. If you can smell a sharp pungent chemical odor while driving it could be the result of your braking systems heating up. It could either be the brake pads that need to cool down a little, it could be the brake fluid that needs to cool down after hours of repeated stressful use. If you do not take precaution at the right time it could even worst. Not only causing you a lot of money in repairs but more importantly, putting the lives of everyone in the car at risk.

Conclusion

You should never delay when it comes to getting your brakes checked for repairs. If your car has the functionality or a brake repair warning light and if and when it comes on you should head to your nearest auto repair shop in Calgary to have it checked. It could be a false positive but would you rather not be safe than sorry? If you are looking for a team of professionals to help you with your brake repairs or any auto repair related issues in Calgary. Please do visit The Car Salon. Get in touch with us today to schedule an auto check-up.

5 Tips On Finding A Good Auto Body Repair Shop In Calgary

A customer generally has a hard time trusting auto shops when it comes to auto body work. No matter the amount of work that goes into fixing the car, the customer feels like they are being ripped off. As an auto body repair workshop ourselves we have heard horror stories from our customers about their experiences before they came to us. We understand the plight that some customers might face and so we’ve published a list of tips to help you select the best auto body repair shop near you.

How To Find The Best Auto Body Repair Shop Near Me!

1) Ask For Multiple Quotes
One of the biggest concerns that customers have when choosing an auto body repair shop in Calgary is the varied prices they are presented with when asking for a quote. As a customer you will most likely want to find the most affordable auto body repair shop in Calgary, however, it is important to note that the cost is not the final say. As a company, we will try and match the estimates you’ve gotten but it is your responsibility to ensure that you’re getting a good bang for your buck. The price should also be in conjunction with other factors as detailed below.

2) Ask A Lot Of Questions
A great way of picking the right auto shop in Calgary is to ask the right questions to the mechanics & the auto repair shop. Some questions that you need to ask are
– Does the repair shop provide a warranty?
– What does the warranty cover?
– How long does it last?
– How long do routine repairs take?

Most auto body shops that are confident of their work will offer at least a one-year minimum warranty on their work. When companies offer warranties that seem too good to be true they normally are so don’t always take it with a pinch of salt. A lifetime warranty sounds nice but is it really practical?

3) Check Overhead Costs Beforehand
One of the highest costs involved in body repair shops are the overheads that companies charge customers. While it may feel good to have a spruced up waiting room. A service staff waiting on your when you go to the posh repair shops are the overheads worth the amount of repairs you need done? Most of the money you’re paying is going to the salaries at counters in front of the shop. Think about where you want your money to be spent.

4) Ask Your Family and Friends
One of the best methods of finding a good auto repair shop in Calgary is to ask your friends & family. In fact, anyone who that seems knowledgeable about cars & lives in the area can be a good source of information when it comes to finding a reliable auto repair shop. Word of mouth is a powerful tool even in the online age & the best way to use it is to ask. There is plenty of online tools like consumer forums & online reviews but when you meet someone who’s had first-hand experience with a company it is much better.

5) Trust Your Gut Instinct
I always say you should listen to your instinct as much as you should to the information you’re presented with. Sometimes we have been saved from a tricky situation by listening to my instincts rather than following the brain. Now the best case scenario is to listen to pay attention to all the parameters when it comes to choosing an auto collision repair shop in Calgary.

Conclusion
While there may be plenty of auto repair shops to choose from only one has a reputation for quality work. Ask around and you’ll know. If not for nothing come over & get an estimate from one of our experienced and expert. Auto repair consultants & you’ll have a better idea of what the cost should be. Get in touch with one of our experts today!

How To Find A Good Mechanic Shop Near Me?

Most people treat cars like more than just property. They are companions that join us for the ride. So when it comes to picking a spot that will take proper care of the car you have to think more than twice about which mechanic shop to pick. While there is no one “magic rule” that you can use to find a good mechanic shop there are several guidelines you can use to pick the best mechanic shop near you. We’ll be looking at some of the best methods of helping you find the best car repair shop around.

How To Find The Best Car Mechanic Shop?
1) Search For A Shop That Specifically Deals With Your Car Brand
Many garages like to be a jack of all trades and masters of none, while they do serve their purpose they aren’t really what you’re looking for when you want someone to give your car the A+ treatment. When looking for a good car garage around you, look for a shop that caters to one particular brand of cars. That way you know they have the expertise in the kind of problems your car might throw from time to time. They will also have all the necessary tools, equipment, and training often from the brand itself to ensure that they do the best possible work on your vehicle.

2) Ask Friends and Family
Men and women that are really fond of cars and are knowledgeable about them tend to stick together in social circles. If you’re new to the city or even your particular area you’ll soon find yourself around one such group. You may not be friends but they’ll be sure to help out. If you don’t have anyone like that in your social circle you might find someone with the best knowledge among your family members. That could also be a good place to start if you want to find out about the best car mechanic shop near me.

3) Ask The Internet
The internet is filled with information and you can use it to also find yourself the best car repair shop near you. Most car repair shops have their listing on local business listing sites. Scout a few and check out the reviews for the shop you were hoping to send your car to maintenance and repairs.

4) Look For Certified Repair Shops
You have certifications from a lot of places these days. The ones that matter though are the certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and the one that the brand provides assuring the customer that they have received at least some form or formal training from the brand themselves and are equipped to make repairs to the vehicle.

5) Check For Convenience
While this isn’t a top priority it is important that the shop you pick should be located at a convenient location. Here’s why; imagine you finish your repairs and there still seems to be some issues that have not been completely resolved; you’ll have to go out of your way to go back to the same repair shop to have the issue resolved. On the other hand, if you pick a convenient location, to begin with, you can just hop on over and have the issue fixed with less of a burden.

6) Try and Test
If you’re not convinced with the referrals received from friend, family and the internet and you would want to listen to your own gut instinct that’s fine too. You will then need to try and test out a couple of places and find out which one is most suited to you and your car’s needs.

Conclusion
Like we said, in the beginning, there is no general rule of thumb when looking for the best car mechanic shop near you but if you do your research you should be able to find a good one. If you’re looking for an affordable auto repair shop that can help you from the smallest to the biggest problems get in touch with our representative today!

Checklist For Pre-Purchase Vehicle Inspection

Buying a vehicle can be very stressful and expensive. People try different methods to get the best deal and more often than not end up with a bad deal that they have to live with. One of the ways people try to get a good deal on a car is to buy a car at an auction. Cars that have been repossessed are usually re-sold by the banks at auction houses and they’ll even take it back if you show proof of a significant defect in the car. If you’ve recently purchased a vehicle at an auto-auction that includes a return option and you would like to have it thoroughly inspected before you take full possession of the vehicle then get in touch with the experts at ‘The Car Salon’.

What Is Covered Under The Buyer Protection Policy Of Action Houses?
1. Engine troubles such as cracked cylinder blocks, broken valves, issues with the gaskets, or cylinder compressions.
2. Transmission failures due to problems with the shift or gearbox
3. Problems and damage to the frame which is certified by a certified frame shop
4. A transfer case is binding or inoperable

Why Do You Need Professional Vehicle Inspection Services?
Apart from the checklist that is mandatory for the buyer protection policy to come into effect, there could be several things wrong with the vehicle that the auction house would not cover and you would have to pay for it out of pocket. Instead of buying a complete lemon ensuring that you make a solid purchase and if not than ensuring that the changes will not cost you too much to fix is what you need. A professional vehicle inspection service will look into all the tiny details that you might have missed when you gave the car a once over to look for any problems. We’ve included a tiny checklist of things we look out for when we do a vehicle inspection for you.

Vehicle Inspection Checklist

• Tires
o Check the tire pressure
o Tire Threads
o Wear on the tire
 Uneven tire wear could sometimes indicate a bigger problem related to the suspension of the frame quality of the car that laymen could tend to miss out on.

• Batteries
o Charge-Discharge load test
o Voltage check

• Brakes
o Brake fluids check
 It is the lifeblood of your braking system that often gets overlooked because of the amount of time it takes to check
o Wear and tear on the drums, rotors and other minor parts

• Steering and Suspension
• Steering belt
• Fluid levels

• Engine
• Leaks
• Damage
• Maintenance checks

• Frame

• Exhaust Systems

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but a good reference to give you a general idea of how well we really plan out vehicle inspections to not only cover issues that you might have now but possible issues that you might be facing in the future. If major faults are noticed during the inspection you can be assured that your Buyer Protection Policy will protect you. If there isn’t anything major wrong with the vehicle then you can always rely on our affordable car servicing options to fix and tune up whatever is required.

Conclusion
While you may have protection from the auction house if you end up buying a car sold to you under false pretenses or a car that is damaged beyond repair, what happens when this is not the case? You’ll need a reliable car service station to look into all your repairs and fixes in the most affordable manner. If you need your vehicle inspected for other reasons as well our services will come in more than handy. Get in touch with us today!